Elites of Eden: Yarrow Not Rowan

Chapter 15

I wake up to a loud banging sound on the door and movement. I start to wake up and things make more sense. The banging is a knock on the door. The movement is Lachlan rushing to the door, his gun in hand. Bikk! I must of fallen asleep last night when Lachlan and I were talking.

"What's wrong?" Lachlan asks. I look over, propping myself up on my elbows. Lachlan has the door opened just a crack.

"I need Rowan. She isn't in her room so I thought I should check yours," I hear a gruff voice say on the other side of the door. I immediately recognize that voice as Flint's. The man who tortured me. Somehow, after finding myself again, I've found a strength that allows me not to be afraid of Flint.

"What do you need her for?" Lachlan asks, not implying that I'm in his bed right now.

"She'll see," He says. "Is she in there?"

Lachlan sighs, glancing back at me. He pushes the door open to reveal me sitting awkwardly on his bed. I feel a strange sense of deja vu.

"Rowan, come with me. Lachlan, stay here," Flint instructs.

"Absolutely not," Lachlan scoffs, disdainfully. Flint glares at him. "Last time I left her alone with you, you tortured her."

"We've already discussed the circumstances around that. But if you're still too immature to understand it then that's fine, you can come. I just didn't think you'd want to see this," Flint says mysteriously, turning away. Lachlan and I both follow him. I follow Flint until I realize our location-the torture chambers. I clutch Lachlan's strong arm tightly, taking deep breaths to keep myself calm. I have my eyes closed but I feel Lachlan take my soft hand into his rough ones. Some how I don't want to show weakness. I know I've been through worse and I can't break now. I remember the torture I've endured here, and at the Center, and know I am stronger than it. I open my eyes, and my lips quiver when I look at Lachlan. I press my lips together in a tight line to hide it. Lachlan subtly, and gently, presses his palm to my lower back.

A part of me, deep in my mind, the part of me that had control of me for so long-until I drowned-needs Lachlan to keep me strong. But the part of me, the part that was hidden for so long, but is now open again, the part that is truly me, and has been since my birth, the birth with my real, loving mother, doesn't need Lachlan to stay strong...but I want him. I crave him, and choose him...but I haven't chosen him, have I? When I remembered myself I remembered so many feelings that had been hidden for so long. I remember my feelings for Lark, that had almost been forgotten...but my feelings for Lachlan have increased after remembering our first kiss. But how can I think about this now when I have a looming mystery ahead?

Speaking of, it seems that we have arrived at the chamber. I see a man, by the size of his build and his clothing, tied to a metal chair, a wet bag over his head, and bruises decorate his dark arms. I give a grunt of pain as my lungs convulse, but then get myself under control again. The man in the chair is wearing black clothing that has a shiny black film over it, like all expensive clothes in Eden. This man is wearing expensive clothing but looks like he tried to keep it low key using dim colors. He looks like an inner circle boy trying to look like he belongs in the outer circles, but had no idea where to start in his wardrobe.

"She's here," Flint says as we enter the chamber. The young man starts to thrash and scream, pleading frantically.

"Yarrow! Yarrow!" He calls. I recognize his voice immediately. "Yarrow, help me! Are you okay? Have they hurt you? Don't you dare lay a bikking finger on her!" I see that Flint has the slightest touch of amusement in his eyes.

"Hawk," I gasp, rushing to his side. Hawk, the boy at Oaks who was in love with me, and I broke his heart. I broke his heart and yet he is threatening Flint, the man who just tortured him, not to hurt me. I feel my heart break as I caress his hand.

"Lachlan," I whisper to signal Lachlan. Lachlan understands me and pulls a knife out of his back pocket, and cuts the bag off Hawk's face. Hawk gasps in relief. His smile when he sees me is so white in contrast to his dark skin.

"Yarrow," He sighs. I feel so sick being called that name, but I don't dare correct him. I think I hate that name so much because it channels something in me. It channels her-Yarrow. "I was so worried about you! Lark sent in a note saying you tried to kill yourself, but I knew that wasn't true. I went to see your mom, Elena, to ask her what happened to you, and she told me to leave, that I couldn't see you, so I told her that I knew something was up and...and I'm not entirely sure what happened after that, but I know that when I woke up Elena had given me a mission. She knows I love you and she wanted me to find you, at any cost. And here I am-back with you, the woman I love."

I glance furtively at Lachlan, he has a grim expression on his face, then looks away. I ignore the guilty feeling in my stomach and redirect my attention to Hawk. How can I pity Lachlan when Hawk's poor face is bruises and blistered, and he's saying such kind words?

"Oh, Hawk," I say gently, caressing his face. I see him shiver beneath my touch. "You don't love me. You don't know the first thing about me. But more importantly, how did you find me?"

"But Yarrow, I do love you," He insists. I flinch at that name.

"How did you find me?" I ask, a little more sharply, snapping at him. For a moment he looks hurt by my aggressive tone, then his face goes back to normal.

"That's all they've been wanting me to tell them since I've got here," He tells me. "I told them I wouldn't tell them until I knew you were okay."

"Okay, so now you can tell us," I say simply, trying to keep the tone of my voice light. I think I know what Hawk's fate will be when I look at Flints cold eyes, but I know Hawk's fate when I look at Lachlan's slightly pitying look. I try to hold back the sob that catches in my throat. No one except Lachlan seems to notice this. After a moment of convincing, Hawk finally tells them. He tells them about all the investigating, and searching, and secrecy he's been through the past few weeks. In the end we're able to determine that he didn't tell anyone else, and the Underground was safe. Flint still increases the guards.

"Okay, so this is good, right? That means that he isn't a threat, there's another way," I plead desperately. Flint doesn't look at me, and Lachlan has to force himself to meet my eye.

"Rowan," Lachlan starts gently. I flinch at how gentle he sounds. Hawk doesn't deserve this. "You know that we can't..."

"But you can!" I protest. And after several minutes of arguing, I finally come to terms with it. With tears streaming down my face I kneel in front of Hawk, who has already figured out what is happening. I lean forward and kiss him goodbye. I don't truly want to kiss him, but in his final moments I'd do anything to make him happy. I stay there, his lips touching mine for much longer than I would like, but I don't move. I let him kiss me, but I barely kiss him back. I pull away and clear my throat awkwardly. Lachlan is turned away from the sight of me kissing him, but when we're finally finished Lachlan turns around and holds me. I sob into Lachlan's chest as Hawk pleads to Flint not to kill him.

Suddenly, his screams fade into a mumble, and his mumbles fade into silence. Lachlan holds me tighter as I sob even louder.
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I'm taking a quick break from this series for a few weeks to work on my other series, and get inspiration. I'll be back soon.
Rip Flint. Flint was a good man who had a gruesome way of showing it. Without Rowan, Lachlan will probably turn up like him.